Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to apparatus for
packaging various items. More specifically, the invention
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relates to a vacuum packaging machine for securing wrapping
material over a product which has been placed on a backing
board. The present invention is particularly, though not
exclusively, useful for shrink wrapping a clear plastic film
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onto a printed cardboard backing card to enclose and package a
product between the plastic film and the backing card.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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There are many types of vacuum packaging devices which use
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a vacuum to draw a sheet of plastic film onto a backing card
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for packaging a product. Conventional vacuum packaging
machines typically include a fixed platen or table on which a
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cardboard backing card is placed. A product or products are
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positioned by an operator on the backing card, and a sheet of
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plastic film is placed over the product to cover the product
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and the card. The sheet is typically heated prior to or during
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its placement over the product and the card, and after such
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placement, a vacuum is drawn from beneath the card to remove
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air from between the card and the film to seal the film over
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the product onto the card. The sealed package containing the
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product is then cut to the desired size.
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There are several disadvantages, however, associ~ed with
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use of conventional vacuum packaging machines. For example, in
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order to provide the necessary heating of the wrapping film,
some conventional machines use a movable heating hood
assembly. Such movable heating hood assemblies are typically
constructed to move horizontally back and forth over the work
area where the film is to be sealed over the product and
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card. To avoid burning the operator, such movable hoods are
typically designed to generate heat only after they are moved
by the operator into position. Also, such conventional hoods
use electric rods or bulb heating elements which take some time
to heat and/or cool. The steps of moving the hood into and out
of position, and the heating and cooling times unfortunately
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add unwanted time which results in lower productivity in the
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packaging process.
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Other conventional packaging apparatus which use a
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stationary heating hood require that the backing board be
placed by an operator onto the platen, which is fixed in
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position under the heating hood in the packaging work area.
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This requires that the operator reach into the packaging work
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area to place the backing card in position, and to reach into
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the work area to position the product or products in proper
orientation onto the backing board. This placing and
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positioning of the product onto the backing board cannot,
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however, occur during the packaging operation. Instead, the
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operator must wait until the packaging operation is completed
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and the completed board is removed, before the oper*tor can
begin to place the next board on the platen and position
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I products on the board. This tends to slow the packaging
2 operation. Also, since the placing and positioning of the
3- product occurs under the heating hood, there is an increased
4 chance that the operator may inadvertently touch the heating
hood while it is still hot. In such circumstances, there is an
6 increased danger that the operator may be burned.
_ In light of the above, the present invention thus
8 recognizes the need for a vacuum packaging machine which is
g safe and convenient to operate. The present invention also
lo recognizes the desire to increase packaging productivity. The
Il present invention further recognizes the need for a vacuum
12 packaging machine which is designed to provide greater
stability and durability in use.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a vacuum packaging apparatus which vacuum packages
wrapping material about a product, while at the same time the
operator is able to position additional product on the next
board for the next packaging operation. It is another object
of the present invention to provide a packaging apparatus which
operates in a safe yet highly productive manner. It is yet
another object of the present invention to provide a packaging
22 apparatus which is durable and reliable in operation, and which
23 can be easily serviced. Still another object of the present
24 invention is to provide a packaging machine which is simple and
convenient to operate, and which is cost-effective_ in its
manufacture
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20504 43
.,
The present invention provides a vacuum packaging
apparatus for sealing produet between a sheet of wrapping
material and a backing board, comprising:
a base having a stationary heating hood mounted on
top of said base, said base further comprising a first
side with a first access and a second side opposite said
first side with a second aeeess for defining a product
work area under said hood and between said sides;
a horizontal table comprising, a first packaging
well and a second paekaging well juxtaposed on said
table, said table being reciprocally mounted on said base
for movement in a first direction wherein said first
packaging well and a first backing board and product
thereon are moved into said work area through said first
access and said second packaging well and a packaged
second product are moved out of said work area through
said second access, said table being moveable in a second
direction opposite said first direction for returning
said second packaging well, another backing board and a
third product into said work area through said second
aeeess and returning said first packaging well and the
packaged first product out of said work area through said
first access to alternatingly move said first and said
second packaging wells into a packaging position beneath
said hood;
a sealing frame movably mounted on said base or
holding said sheet of wrapping material;
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means for moving said sealing frame between a first
position wherein said sealing frame is positioned
adjacent said heating hood for heating said sheet and a
second position wherein said sealing frame is positioned
adjacent said table in said product work are to place a
heated sheet over a backing board placed in one of said
packaging wells; and
vacuum means associated with said packaging well for
drawing a vacuum through said backing board and against
said heated sheet to seal said heated sheet onto said
backing board.
In a further aspect the present invention provides a
method of vacuum packaging comprising the steps of:
providing an apparatus having a base, a heating hood
mounted on said base, said base being formed with a first
side having a first access and a second side opposite
said first side having a second access for defining a
product work area between said sides, a reciprocally
moveable table mounted on said base, said table
comprising a first packaging well and a second packaging
well juxtaposed therew1th, a sealing frame movably
mounted on said base for holding a sheet of wrapping
material, and a vacuum means mounted on said base;
placing a first backing board into said firs~
packaging well and placing a product on said first
backing board;
placing a first sheet of wrapping material in said
sealing frame;
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raising said sealing frame and said sheet into a
heating position adjacent said stationary hood to heat
said sheet;
moving said first packaging well and said first
packing board through said first access into said work
area and simultaneously moving said second packaging well
and said second backing board through said second access
out of said work area;
lowering said sealing frame and said heated sheet
onto said first backing board;
applying a vacuum to said first backing board to
seal said heated sheet onto said first backing board;
placing a second backing board into said second
packaging well and placing a product on said second
backing board;
placing a second sheet of wrapping material in said
sealing frame;
raising said sealing frame and said second sheet
into said heating position;
moving said second packaging well and said second
backing board through said second access into said
packaging work area and simultaneously moving said first
packaging well and said first backing board out through
said first access out of said work area;
lowering said sealing frame and said heated sheet
onto said second backing board while removing said first
backing board from said first packaging well;
2050443
applying a vacuum to said backing board to seal said
second heated sheet onto said second backing board; and
repeating said steps as necessary.
The novel features of this invention, as well as the
invention itself, both as to its structure and its
operation, will be best understood from the accompanying
drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
description, in which similar reference characters refer
to similar parts, and in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment of a vacuum packaging apparatus being loaded
for use in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus
shown in Figure 1 with portions cut away for clarity;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apparatus
shown in Figure 1 further illustrating the packaging
process;
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Figure 4 is a sectional side view taken along the line 4-4
of the apparatus shown in Figure 2, illustrating the heating of
- wrapping material during the packaging process;
Figure 5 is a sectional side view of the apparatus shown
in Figure 4 illustrating the drawing of a vacuum during the
packaging process; and
Figure 6 is a sectional side view of the apparatus shown
in Figure 4 illustrating the removal of a packaged product.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a
vacuum packaging apparatus 10 for packaging a product between a
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sheet of wrapping material and a backing board. In particular,
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apparatus 10 includes a base 12, which includes a stationary
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heating hood 14. ~eating hood 14 is supported above an open
packaging work area 16 by vertical support members 18.
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Vertical support members 18 are attached to base 12 and support
17 heating hood 14 at a predetermined distance above the work area
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16 as substantially shown in Figure 1. For purposes of the
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present invention, base 12, support members 18, and hood 14 may
advantageously be made of a strong and durable material, such
21 as steel.
22
As can be seen in Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6, an array of
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heating elements 20 are mounted in heating hood 14. In the
24 preferred embodiment shown, each heating element 20 co~pr1ses a
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two-piece ceramic socket 22 and one-piece wire-wrapped ceramic
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I cone 24. Each cone 24 is screwed into a respective socket 22,
2 and may be conveniently and individually removed or replaced.
~ To obtain uniform heating, the heating elements 20 are wired in
4 series to a power supply (not shown) which supplies uniform
power to all sockets 22.
6 Still referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it can be
7 appreciated that a reciprocal table 26 is mounted on base 12,
8 beneath stationary hood 14. As shown, table 26 is movable
g laterally in a horizontal direction, in a plane substantially
parallel to the plane of the array of heating elements 20
Il mounted in hood 14. It can also be seen that table 26 includes
two packaging wells 28 and 30, which are positioned next to
each other in a side-by-side relationship. With this
arrangement, table 26 can be reciprocated laterally so that
when one packaging well is positioned under hood 14, the other
packaging well is not positioned under hood 14 and, instead,
extends outwardly from base 12 substantially as shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 3. Each packaging well 28 and 30 has rollers
32, and is designed to hold a backing board 34 and 36,
respectively. Each backing board 34 and 36 may be paper,
cardboard, or some similar porous packaging material well known
in the art.
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As further shown in Figure 4, reciprocal movable table 26
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has rollers 40 which roll on the tracks 42 that are fastened to
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base 12. Table 26 is slidingly driven in the lateral dlrection
by a motor (not shown). As can be appreciated with reference
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to Figures 1 and 3, table 26 may be slidably positioned so that
packaging well 28 is outside of packaging work area 16 and not
- under hood 14. When packaging well 28 is thus positioned, the
other packaging well 30 is positioned within packaging work
area 16, which is beneath hood 14. Alternatively, when table
26 is slidably moved to the position shown in Figure 2,
packaging well 28 is within packaging work area 16, directly
beneath hood 14, while the other packaging well 30 is
positioned outside of packaging work area 16, and out from
under hood 14. This allows alternating access by the operator
to whichever of the packaging wells 28, 30 is not under hood 14
to place backing boards in the accessible well and position
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product 38 thereon. This greatly enhances productivity in
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operation since the operator can gain direct access for loading
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purposes to the packaging wells easily without the need to
reach into the packaging work area.
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As further shown in the drawings, a sealing frame 44 is
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mounted to the base 12 under hood 14. Sealing frame 44 is of
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approximate dimensions sufficient to fit over each packaging
l9
well 28, 30 as described below. Sealing frame 44 has a top
frame 46 which is hingedly connected at pivot point 48 to a
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bottom frame 50, as seen in Figures 4, 5 and 6. As can perhaps
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best be appreciated with reference to Figure 6, top frame 46
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may be pivotally raised to remove the completed board after it
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has been packaged. Also, when top frame 46 is r~ised, a
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section of sheet 52 of wrapping material may be drawn into
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21~53~
frame 44. The wrapping material may be clear plastic film, or
some other suitable nonporous thin sheet 52 wrapping
material. For ~xample, various well known commercially
available films such as Surlyn, PVC, Polyethylene, Barex or
Visqueen can be used. Sheet 52 is fed from roll 54 which is
held on a rotating shaft 58 mounted in covered rear cabinet 56
of base 12. The covered rear cabinet 56 keeps dirt and dust
away from roll 54, and helps maintain cleanliness of sheet
52. A feed roller 60 is mounted on the rear of base 12 above
covered rear cabinet 56 so the operator can conveniently pull
sheet 52 from roll 54 over feed roller 60 and through the rear
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of sealing frame 44 across bottom frame 50. Top frame 46 can
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then be lowered onto lower frame 50 to hold the section of
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sheet 52 taut across closed sealing frame 44.
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Bottom frame 50 of sealing frame 44 is attached at its
edges to the expandable and contractable lift cylinders 62
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which are mounted in base 12. As can be appreciated by the
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skilled artisan, cylinders 62 may be air or hydraulic cylinders
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actuated by conventional apparatus well known in the art. In
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the preferred embodiment, lift cylinders 62 are powered by a
conventional air over hydraulic system (not shown) in which air
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moves the hydraulic fluid out of its reservoir to control the
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length and speed of cylinder arm movement. In Figure 4, lift
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cylinders 62 are shown in the expanded position in which
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sealing frame 44 has been raised to a location adjacent- ceramic
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heating cones 24 in hood 14. In Figure 5, lift cylinders 62
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._
are shown in a retracted position in which sealing frame 44 has
been lowered to a location adjacent whichever packaging well 28
- or 30 is located beneath hood 14.
Mounted in base 12 beneath reciprocal table 26 is a
platform or frame 64, which has a pair of vacuum motors 68a and
68b mounted thereon. Platform 64 is connected to a lift
cylinder 66 fixedly mounted in base 12 with cylinder 66
controllably expandable to raise and lower platform 64. When
platform 64 is in a raised position as shown in Figure 5,
vacuum motors 68a and 68b are located adjacent the bottom of
whichever of packaging wells 28, 30 is positioned beneath hood
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14. In the raised position, the vacuum motors 68a and 68b are
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sufficiently close to packaging well 28 or 30 to establish a
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vacuum seal of sheet 52 onto backing board 34. When platform
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64 is in its lowered position, as shown in Figures 4 and 6,
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vacuum motors 68a and 68b are not in use and are located away
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from packaging wells 28, 30, out of the way of table 26 below
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track 42.
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In operation, an operator places a backing board 34 onto
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packaging well 28 which is extended out from beneath hood 14,
as shown in Figure 1. The operator places one or more products
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38 into desired orientation on board 34. As also shown in
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Figure 1, a previously packaged board 36 which is already
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wrapped with sheet 52 from a previous packaging operation is
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still in packaging well 30. Sealing frame 44 is op~ned, as
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seen in Figure 6. With sealing frame 44 opened, board 36 can
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be removed from packaging well 30 and, as board 36 is removed,
a sheet 52 of wrapping material is pulled across bottom frame
- 50. Top frame 46 is then lowered to hold sheet 52 in sealing
frame 44.
The actual cycle of events in the packaging process can be
best appreciated by starting from a configuration in which a
sheet 52 of wrapping material is held within sealing frame 44
and a backing board 34 has been loaded with product 38. At
this point, the operator presses a start button (not shown) to
begin a packaging cycle or operation. As the cycle starts,
table 26 is automatically moved horizontally to locate
packaging well 28 into packaging work area 16 beneath hood 14
l2
(see transformation from Figure 1 to Figure 2).
Simultaneously, cylinders 62 are activated which raise sealing
14
frame 44 to a raised position adjacent heating elements 20 as
shown in Figures 2 and 4. Ceramic cones 24 are energized to
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heat plastic sheet 52 for a sufficient time to make wrapping
material 52 sufficiently pliant to allow it to be subsequently
vacuum sealed properly onto board 34. In the preferred
embodiment to reach proper sealing temperature, sheet 52 is
held approximately two (2) inches from ceramic cones 24 for an
interval of approximately twelve (12) seconds.
22 After the heating interval, a timing switch (not shown)
23 then activates cylinder 62 to lower sealing frame 44 to a
24 sealing position as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Simult~eously,
lift cylinder 66 is activated to raise vacuum motors 68 into
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position under table 26 as shown in Figure 5. Once sealing
frame 44 has been lowered into the packaging position, sealing
- frame 44 fits onto packaging well 28 to establish a sealed
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engagement over board 34 and product 38. Sealing frame 44 thus
positions sheet 52 so that it covers board 34. Once in
position, vacuum motors 68 are activated to remove air from
between sheet 52 and board 34. This vacuum seals the heated
sheet 52 over the product 38 and onto board 34. Thus, product
38 is packaged onto board 34. Top frame 46 is then again
opened by the operator to separate top frame 46 from bottom
frame 50 as shown in Figure 6. The completed vacuum packaged
product 38 on board 34 is then removed by the operator from
12
sealing frame 44 and packaging well 28. It should be noted
13
that since sheet 52 is still secured to board 34, by removing
14
the completed board 34 from frame 44, the operator pulls a new
section of sheet 52 of wrapping material from roll 54 into
16
position across bottom frame 50. Top frame 46 is then lowered
17
by the operator onto bottom frame 50 which holds the new
18 section of sheet 52 in closed sealing frame 44 for the next
19
vacuum packaging operation. Also, after the packaged board 34
iS removed from sealing frame 44, the completed board 34 is
21
separated from sheet 52. Meanwhile, as the above steps are
22 being accomplished, the operator has had ample time to place
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the next backing board onto vacant packaging well 30 whlch is
24 extended out from beneath hood 14, and to position pr~duct 38
on such next board. Consequently, to repeat the process, the
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2050443
I operator presses the start button to raise sealing frame 44 and
2 move packaging well 30 and such next board into packaging
3 position.
4 While the particular vacuum packaging machine as herein
shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the
6 objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it
_ is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the
8 presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no
g limitations are intended to the details of construction or
design herein shown other than as defined in the appended
Il claims.
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